chris, i had the same problem--noticed i had the wrong yeast. fortunately i noticed this before i started cooking, so i aborted.

what was it like with regular yeast? still worth making or not?

I didn't have instant yeast, either, and was too, er compromised to run around and find it. I did a little searching and learned that 1/3 tsp. active dry yeast could be used to replace the 1/4 tsp. instant, and it worked just fine for me. (It was ready at 15 hours.) Now everyone can try it, no excuses!

Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible, posted about this recipe on her blog also, with some good additional information. link

My link didn't work. Try this:

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2006/11/holy_bread.html

So I want to try this as well... I have a 5 qt. stock pot with lid... Do you think I can just break the dough into two halves? Does the lid need to be heavy? Although this one does not have holes or anything, it might let some steam escape.

Also, anyone know what brand of instant yeast that was in the video? Anyone have a source?

So I want to try this as well... I have a 5 qt. stock pot with lid... Do you think I can just break the dough into two halves? Does the lid need to be heavy? Although this one does not have holes or anything, it might let some steam escape.

Also, anyone know what brand of instant yeast that was in the video? Anyone have a source? what about wheat bran? Whole Foods?

Can you tell I'm a bread novice?

paul, I'm going to try this sometime in the next couple days using a Corningware 4 quart pot, so I'll let you know if that was big enough. Sounds like 5 quarts would be plenty big for the whole recipe, given that a lot of people want to try it in a smaller pan.

I made this last weekend. My execution of the technique was a relative disaster, but the bread tasted good, the best crust ever, open, holey crumb.

I used 1/3 tsp active dry yeast, which I proofed in a bit of water, 3 cups of flour and 1 5/8 cups of water (minus the bit I proofed the yeast in).

My dough was just way too wet from the beginning--it was like cake batter when I mixed it up, a pond of goo when I poured it out after the first 18-hour rise, unable to be folded onto itself much less be formed into a boule, and clung to the dishtowel like a frightened child to its mother. I was able to scrape it into a pot (4 qt Calphalon chef's pan), but left a good deal of dough on the towel. I baked for 30 minutes, removed the lid, then baked another 10. Crust was dark and bread was severely stuck to the bottom of the pot. We dug out pieces of it with our fingers, savagely, and were not disappointed with the end result. Charred bits of bread were difficult to eradicate from the pot in the cleanup phase.

Changes I will make next time. Scoop out the flour instead of spoon it into the measure (that's what he does in the video--probably adds a good amount of volume as opposed to the scoop and level approach). Add only enough water to make a wet, shaggy dough. (It was raining here when I made the bread, so maybe the relative humidity had an effect on the finished product.) I'll do the second rise on a Silpat or parchment to prevent the sticking, and I'll use a round of buttered parchment on the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking. I might bake it off with the pot on a pizza stone to help regulate the temperature in my terrible oven.

Last week I was preparing for a dinner party and remembered reading Bittman's article for the no knead bread. What I forgot to read however was the second half of the title- "let time do the work." I equated no knead with -- quick.

Then as I started preparing- I realized- oh no-- This take 22 hours!

I can't wait to find 22 hours when I can make this bread!

Yikes - I don't know if I'd put a stockpot in the oven... Just make sure that's safe before you do!

I used the wrong yeast, too. But I went on, and the bread basically cooked up to be a damn dense focaccia. I'm trying again tonight -- I too have only a 4 qt. cast iron so I'll split dough in half and try that.

I made it and was highly skeptical the whole time, but damn if it wasn't the best bread I've made yet. Click on my name to see pictures.

I've made it twice, and it was just perfect both times. Really a terrific recipe..and so very much easier than any other good bread I've made. I thought the crumb was terrifici, as well as the crust.
I used an oval shaped Emile Henry ceramic 6 qt covered pot.

Does anyone know if the stonewear insert from a crockpot can go in the oven? Maybe with foil on the top instead of a regular lid? The manual and website both say that the stonewear is "ovensafe" but I can't find any temperature ranges. I love my crockpot and don't want to do it any damage, but i'm also aching to try this bread and don't have time/funds to buy a dutch oven at the moment!

i made this last weekend, with half whole wheat and half white. actually - my 6 and 8 year old kids did most of the 'work'.
it came out great, and i bought some rye flour to try it with too.
i used a corningware casserole dish with a pyrex top. it didnt stick at all.
i'd like to use something smaller too - so it isnt as flat - anyone try this with a pot? ( mine are ordinary - not cast iron or enamel - and although i'd love an excuse to buy another kitchen item, in the intrest of space, i'd rather not.)

Also, I gotta say, I miss the decorative artisan scoring on the top of the loaf--I love those distinctive slash marks and the inevitable 'ooh and ahhing' that happens when you set it on the table. This bread looks like it has a good crumb and a good crust, but the uncut loaves look kinda...unshapely and lump-like in the pictures I've seen so far.

Well, I used active dry yeast but tripled the amount to 3/4 and it worked perfectly....I think that is the standard.

I think the recipe should be amended to include both types -- instant yeast can be hard to come by.

I have made this twice so far. The first was whole wheat. I actually had to add more water to get a wetter dough. The crust was fantastic but I though the bread itself was a little heavy. Second time around I decreased the whole wheat flour and added some honey. Made the dough a little too wet that time, but it was still OK to handle. The bread was still a little heavy, but better -- and again, the best crust ever. Nezxt time around, I'm going to try all white flour with some asiago cheese and maybe some olives.
My husband loves the bread but is pouting because he has lost his primary function of dough-kneader in our household. Only drawback is you definitely have to time it all out -- I started my loaves around 11 p.m. and they seemed OK when I got home at 6:30 p.m. Of course, that meant no bread until 9:30-ish, but it made a great evening snack. So don't be afraid of a very long first rising!

Lisa -- did you start the active yeast in water before adding it to the mix? Did you need to add sugar to feed it? Deb from Smitten Kitchen also talks about her yeast switch above.

I wish FreshDirect had instant yeast here in NYC, but they don't. Is it something usually available in big grocery stores?

Here is our thread about it:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/1437

Made the bread this weekend. Divided it into two small loaves, baked one in a 2.75 qt cast iron dutch oven and one in a 2 qt ceramic casserole. I think you could probably get 2/3 of the dough into the 2.75 quart pan with no problem, all of it if you didn't mind a misshapen loaf.

Both loaves were round, with a beautiful crust and a lovely texture. Neither stuck to the pan at all. Flavor was a little bland and I over-floured the towels so a ton of excess flour got dumped into the pot with the bread, producing a tough bottom crust.

Has anyone tried a "traditional" dough baked in the cast iron pan? I'm wondering how much of the lovely texture is due to the baking method and how much is due to the prep method.

I cheated. I made a sourdough dough (for a one pound loaf) with NO yeast in my bread machine. I took it out before baking, and let it rise again on a floured towel. I used a smalled dutch oven (about 4 qts.) and the bread was FABULOUS. Great technique. It was high, light, with a terrific crust. It was all I could do to keep from eating it all in one sitting.

It's a sticky mo-fo. But nice crumb.

I also used the regular Fleischman's active dry yeast, and it was just fine.

What I did:
I mixed the same quantity of dry yeast as the recipe called for (was it 1/4 tsp.?) straight into the flour and salt. Then I heated my water (1 5/8 c.) to the 120-130 degree range before mixing it into the dry ingredients. It worked perfectly.

(These instructions are printed on the back of the sachet for "non-dissolving recipes," ie., no proofing needed.)

I'll be on the lookout for instant yeast when I finish this batch, for simplicity's sake, but there's no need to special order it if you can only find active dry in your store. Just heat the water.

OK Here's my story
1. Fleischmann's instant, but not RapidRise. Used 1/2 Tsp instead of 1/4

2. Sticky Sticky Sticky. It stuck to my silicone Silpat, which is a first.

3. Didn't add enough flour and rushed the second step. Half the batch was permanently glued into the towel. Threw away towel.

4. I used a white ceramic 3 qt souffle dish, which I preheated, topped by a 'fits-all' flat metal skillet lit, which I didn't preheat because I didn't think it would be safe. Or matter.

5. Didn't get much rise out of it, a little higher than biscotti and kind of the same shape when cut cross wise.

6. Best Bread Ever. HUUUGE holes and crackly crust. Pleasantly salty/sour flavor.

7. My Sweet Honey went so far as to ask for more!!!!

I tried it again last night. First try this weekend produced a foccacia like lump. Second try last night...I don't know, I'm totally not getting the lift from the yeast (and I'm using the right kind). So it was dense again. And I used a 4qt dutch oven, which was fine, because I didn't get the lift. And never in the process am I able to create anything that looks like dough that you can fold...only a lumpy wet mess. I think I'll give one more whirl to this recipe when it isn't so humid. As much as I enjoy the process, I'll be curious to see what my ConEd bil is this month.

I tried it last night. Very easy, good results. My boyfriend threaten to eat nothing but bread for dinner. (Click my name for pictures.)

Am I the only one who didn't like this bread? I used regular yeast and King Arthur flour. Everything worked as the recipe said it would, except the top crust burned a little. I attributed that to using a smaller, 4.5 qt dutch oven instead of a larger one (Le Creuset), thinking maybe the bread was too close to the lid.

Very nice, crisp, crackling crust and chewy interior. But we were really disappointed in the flavor. Rather blah.

So where is the receipe ?

I made it last weekend. I had active dry yeast so I increased it slightly and disolved it in warm water before adding to the flour. (n.b. Instant Yeast is also called Rapid Rise Yeast used for bread machines.)

I also decreased the water to 1.5 cups because many on the NYTimes forum complained the dough was too wet.

It all worked out as planned. Baked it in my Le Creuset at 450 degrees (the video on NYT calls for 500+ degrees, the receipe reads 450, and Le Creuset recommended their dutch ovens go no hotter than 450 degrees).

The bread was near-perfect. The crust was crispy; inside slightly too sticky, but nothing a little longer in the over couldn't solve.

It's super easy to make. Great results. However, it was very anticlimactic. It tasted exactly like the loaves I buy from the local "artisinal" bakery, where I will continue to purchase my bread a few hours before I make my [mostly impromptu] dinners.

I will definately save this recipe for that day when I live too far from a bread maker.

Has anyone tried this in a cast-iron pot with a dark interior (such as Staub)? Would baking it in a dark pot burn the crust?

I used a 5 1/2 quart Calphalon anodized Dutch oven (= dark interior), and it turned out absolutely perfect - click ny mae for a photo. As per the recipe, the pot was heated in a 450 oven for 1/2 hour; bread was baked with lid on for 1/2 hour and ca. 18 minutes with lid off. I don't think you can go wrong with whatever pot you use as long as it can withstand the intense heat.

Jim Lahey commented on his World Table site that by "instant" yeast he just meant regular granular, not fresh. I've gotten my best-looking loaf using a 3 qt. ceramic pot. I posted a picture on my blog. Haven't cut into it yet.

I long to try this recipe but, here's the trouble, I do not own a Dutch oven. My flatmate does but I am a bit concerned about the high oven temperature... I wouldn't want to damage the pot.

I have been wondering about the possibilities of baking this bread in a terracotta pot or Römertopf. Did anyone try this? Do you think it would work (the topf will have to be soaked in water and I am not sure if it can be heated while empty...) I'd love some feedback and ideas about this! Otherwise I'll just have to borrow a Dutch oven from my mum.

Sincerely,
Nine

The recipe is still available at the NYTimes. Try http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?em&ex=1163739600&en=189572cdbccdb348&ei=5087%0A. Or try this http://tinyurl.com/yhqyyq. The links are on my blog. Another great source is the eGullet site. I believe there is a discussion there on the use of Romertopf pots, as well.

I just tried it out. I inadvertantly left it for 30 hours, but it didn't look much different, so I doubt it had an effect on the final product. I did the second raising on a floured silpat and covered it with cling film and a damp tea towel. I know from other bread making adventures that getting dough off a tea towel is nasty.

I cooked it in my IKEA 365 stainless steel pasta pot since I didn't have anything else covered that could go in the oven (except for some very shallow casserole dishes). It worked out fine. I got the lovely airy crumb and crisp crust as promised and it was a nice boule shape. The texture was a wee bit gummy, but I suspect that just requires a tweak to the cooking time. I did 30 mins/26 mins. I'll probably toast the rest, which will solve the gumminess problem.

Success using a Stoneware baking dome. I didn't want to buy another pot, so I tried my Pampered Chef dome and used a pizza sheet as the cover. I also reduced the water to 1 1/2 cups thanks to Rose Levy Beranbaum's blog. The crust was crisp and the bread delicious.

Römertopf does work just fine - see BakeMyDay at
http://bakemyday.blogspot.com/2006/11/bread-for-dummies-bread-around-world.html
I've done this twice and will be doing it today or tomorrow.

I made it over the weekend.

I am a fairly experienced bread baker, but was not sure how this was going to work out after reading all the comments in many places.

My bowl of dough was not wet or sticky AT ALL, just kinda regular like any other dough. However, it rose nicely, and I left it for 18 hours. I used regular active dry yeast (slightly less than 1/2 tsp.) and bread flour. I used both flour and wheat bran on the towel, and the wheat bran gave it that nice, artisanal look.

I baked it in a LeCreuset-ish 4.5 quart oval dish, and it came out beautifully. I have a convection oven, where you have to adjust for faster times, so I baked it 22 min. with the cover on, and only 15 with it off, at 450 (my oven self-adjusts for temp).

Next time, I think I'll try adding some roasted garlic and rosemary.

What a great hostess gift this would be with a bottle of olive oil!

I tried this recipe two ways: a regular loaf (which as others have said, turned out fabulously) baked in a clean roasting pan, and adapted for dinner rolls (click my name for how-to)

How is this possible?
How come my dough is so dry?

I am a bread novice and my attempt at this recipe seems to be failing. I mixed up two batches and the in neither case did the dough come out wet or sticky or anything other then DRY. Powdery dry. Dry four left in the bowl.

The first time I used the type of measuring cup that one levels and for the second attempt I used a pyrex measuring cup. The first time I used 2 cups bread flour and one cup wheat flour. For the second attempt I used just bread flour. My apartment is sort of cool so I suck the dough in the oven to rise. Any idea what I am doing wrong?

EmmaC: I made this in the insert of my crock-pot (I think it's a 5-qt?). My reasoning was, it's made of ceramic, so what's going to happen to it? In fact, my mother-in-law uses the insert of her old crock pot as a casserole dish, since the heating part no longer functions.

Anyway. The bread turned out beautifully in the crock-pot, and since the pot is smaller than the size recommended in the recipe, the loaf comes out taller, like a regular boule. The only thing to watch out for is the lid of your crock-pot; mine has a plastic handle and I didn't want that to melt in the oven. I used a lid from one of my other pots, which fit perfectly. It was oven-safe glass with a metal handle, but I think a TIGHT foil lid would work as well. The idea is to keep the moisture from the cooking bread inside.

I went out and bought a pyrex dish to bake this bread in. The biggest I could find was 5 liters. the dough was just lost in it. Bread came out with great flavour but very flat. Now I have a 3-liter pan, and hte dough actually fills it, but is the loaf supposed to be so flat? I need something for sandwiches.

Has anyone tried baking this in the bread machine? I tried it for the shape but used a cycle where the dough got kneaded and the result was not very nice. I'm going to try another loaf on the bake-only cycle.

Flavour is fantastic though.

Made this recipe twice. Good home version of steam injected oven bread -- something that I've struggled to make for years.

Following a tip from Cook's Illustrated, I've added a half cup or so of multigrain hot cereal mix for some crunch and flavor. Resembles a pane integrale.

Give thanks for good bread and happy turkey day.

During the last rise I put the dough on sesame seads instead of corn meal. Terrific!!! I've made this bread daily for the last two weeks, my friends are loving it.

I am on my sixth loaf - I created this web page to document my methods - http://www.aresrocket.com/bread
Its worth the effort!

i did not use a pot at all with my bread. i made my no-knead bread in a casserole covered with aluminium foil! my oven is not working propperly so i had to switch to my mini-oven/grill-thing. and i don't have a mini-pot which could fit in there.

nevertheless the bread turned out really delicious and my non-pot version did no harm to the outcome :)

though i am a big fan of austrian dark bread this one is definitely worth making again!

I just discovered this site and blog post while browsing for information on finding a cast iron loaf pan. Interesting post and comments. I'm going to give this bread a try.

For those who are looking for a true "quick" bread recipe, that also involves no kneading, you might want to consider an Irish Wheaten Bread. <A HREF="http://ianism.com/?p=414">I posted a recipe as well as a photo of how it looks.</A>

I've been baking Irish Wheaten for decades - my mother would make it for me when I was a kid.. so after I was on my own, had to learn how to do it myself :)

It's a simple bread recipe that we brought with us when we emmigrated from Northern Ireland to Canada.

If you do try this bread and have problems, don't give up. Drop me a line and I'll help you out. Once done properly, this bread is wonderful, and indeed, easy to make. Irish baking was developed around "quick." Back in 1970, my grandparents didn't have electricity in their home let alone a telephone - in the rurual areas, quite common. So, it was normal for folks to just "drop by" for a chin wag. Irish baking therefore, was meant to be quick and easy, so the baked grub could be practically into the pan or on the griddle as the guests were walking in the door.

A couple of quick tips - experiment with the whole wheat. North American whole wheat is not exactly like Irish Whole wheat. The closest is probably something that used to be called here in Canada, as "Graham flour," but now called, where you can find it, "whole wheat with bran."

I have better results with "self rising" whole wheat flour, myself. You do want the bread to rise somewhat, but as you'll see from the recipe, the rising agent is baking soda.

Indeed, this is one of the reasons why it is so "quick" to prepare - although at first, you might not find it such - but with practice, you can prepare the ingredients and have the dough into the oven in five minutes.

And indeed, the sooner the better, and the less "kneading," the better, because the baking soda starts to react immediately with the buttermilk.

Don't have buttermilk? No problem. Just add some vinegar to regular milk.

A forewarning on my blog - it's a bit political and many find what I have to write about as being on the "controversial" side ;). If you're not into controversial stuff, don't bother clicking around much, but enjoy the Irish Wheaten anyhow :)

Update - looks like the html I used to link directly to the Irish Wheaten bread was stripped out of the comment. I've modified my URL address so that you can just click on my name in this comment and go directly to the Irish Wheaten recipe, if you're interested.

I made the bread divided into two sections and it came out fine if the slightest bit over done.
One of the pots was caphalon and so dark inside--for the person worried about that.
(I'd put both in for 25 minutes instead of 30 because of the smaller size.)
I used regular yeast and dissolved it first in warm water because I did not have, in fact had never heard of, instant yeast. I'm relieved reading the comment that the instant yeast was meant to be regular yeast. Why? because a quick google search revealed that instant yeast is a GMO. Not sure if that is true but I plan to avoid it just in case until someone tells me otherwise.

Alexandra, I just tried the bread recipe myself - started it last night, baked it tonight. Turned out wonderful.

I'm wondering if you try the recipe without dividing it if you'll get better results as far as "over done."

I'm about to start more tonight! It's so easy.. and I'm going to experiment with whole wheat, as well as all purpose flour with rosemary, and maybe poppyseeds for another experiment.

Alexandra, where are you finding that instant yeast is genetically modified (if I'm reading your "GMO" correctly)? I have not heard anything about that and can't find any evidence online.

Kitt, Alexandra may be referring to this:

"Rapid rise yeast, also known as instant yeast or quick yeast, has been genetically engineered from different strains of yeast to produce breads that can be made with only one rising."

~ http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/yeastbreadtip.htm

Personally, as a winemaker, I don't see the problem at all with "engineering" different varieties of yeast. If man did not do this, then we'd all have to rely on whatever yeasts are available in the air.

Crossing different yeast straings together in order to get yeasts that will act predictably under whatever circumstances, is a "good" thing.

Oh, I see. Kind of like a kennel's breeding program to produce superior poodles, yes? it's not crossing yeast with, say, jellyfish? I wonder if there's a technical differentiation between saying genetically modified and genetically engineered. Must research.

But on topic, I've got my first loaf of no-knead bread resting before baking right now. I have a feeling it's not going to turn out, but we'll see.

"Kind of like a kennel's breeding program to produce superior poodles, yes?"

I really don't know if this is an accurate analogy. Perhaps a closer analogy would be breeding a poodle with an Australian Shepherd to end up with a non-yappy beast that has strong teeth, lol.

Crossing different yeast strains to find a resulting strain that offers characteristics that one wants in a yeast.

Yeast with jellyfish? Hmm.. Jelly rolls, anyone?

Kitt - if you just started the bread, and it's resting - give it a good 12 to 18 hours - before you notice a real significant rise in the dough - I'd bet it will turn out great!

Hmm, I never thought of Aussies as yappy, but OK! Thanks for the explanation.

Yes, the bread turned out just dandy. Now I know you really *can't* screw it up.

As it turns out, I was using regular active dry yeast, but that didn't hurt it. The dough sat for 20 hours in my gas oven, which is maybe 75 degrees with the pilot light going. (The rest of my house is usually 60.)

I was happy to have hints about using less water and more salt, and covering the pot handle with foil. I rested the dough on parchment paper under the bowl it rose in.

I've been handing out slices along with copies of the recipe at work. The loaf's almost gone!

"Hmm, I never thought of Aussies as yappy, but OK! "

No - it's Poodles that I think</I> of as yappy :)

Believe it or not, when I was growing up, I owned a poodle Aussie cross. An interesting dog to be sure.

Glad to hear the bread turned out for you, Kitt.

We're going through more than a loaf a day here, with folks visiting, and my eldest son, 18 years old, visiting me for the week.

Now that you've got it "mastered," try experimenting.. the other favorite is when I add two tablespoons of poppy seeds to the dough.

Next experiment is raisins and cinammon. :)

As far as water, I'm using a splash more than 1 1/2 cups.

Some little poodles might be yappy, but not the big ones! (That's what I've got. Strong teeth and all. I like Aussies, too.)

Second loaf is going in the oven in an hour This time it's got a little whole wheat in it, and I saved out a bit of the dough to boost the flavor of the next batch. (Hints from the Baking with Rose blog.)

Poppy seeds are a great idea. I might also try mashing sesame seeds into the top.

"Some little poodles might be yappy, but not the big ones! (That's what I've got. Strong teeth and all. I like Aussies, too.)"

Heh.. well, I've gone from a big German Shepherd to a tiny, cute Maltese. I think it's similar to "small man syndrome" - that tiny thing growls and barks as if he's something big and nasty, hehe. The fun thing though is that he's a chick magnet.

Sesame seeds sound like a great idea too! Let me know how the next batch turns out - I'm hoping to try raisin and cinammon later.

Turned out great! The dought was a little moister this time, almost on the edge of unworkable, but I managed to get it into shape, which included rolling it over a layer of <A HREF="http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/spicy-sesame-seasoning-salt-free-dip-and-dressing-mix">spicy sesame seasoning</A> and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. Tasty!

My Le Creuset oval dutch oven seems a wee bit big for the loaves, so until I find the right size container, I'm going to experiment with something else I do have, a <A HREF="http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00005QFQV.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg>Le Creuset paté terrine</A> that's 11 inches by 4 inches. I'm guessing half a batch of dough will work in that, for a longer, skinnier loaf. (I hope my HTML works in this post!)

A Maltese! Very cute indeed. And non-shedding, as all superior breeds are.

OK, I guess they don't like people linking stuff using HTML.

Spicy Sesame Seasoning from The Spice House in Milwaukee (and available online): http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/spicy-sesame-seasoning-salt-free-dip-and-dressing-mix

Le Creuset paté terrine, in orange: http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00005QFQV.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Spicy Sesame - that looks good! I might try making something up like that - I'm quite a distance from Milwaukee - and Canada Customs sometimes gives me problems ordering stuff like that. I've got lots of Sesame Seeds though. One day, I had an inclination I'd make my own halva of sesame seeds and honey. Haven't done it yet though.

That's a neat looking pan! My kitchen is too small for a big variety of "stuff," and my housemate already is finding the kitchen getting overloaded with stuff, heh.

I've been using a Corningware stone dish, about 4 litre size thus far for the bread. However, seeing as I like to do at least two batches at a time, and that I've always wanted a Dutch Oven (great for camping as well as the oven), I went out and purchased a 5 litre (I think that's the size) Lodge cast iron dutch oven.

Not sure if apartment therapy will appreciate all the banter here.. feel free to email me, and share your experiments - ian at ianism dot com.

Seems to me that this bread is so easy, and it costs so little to make... experimentation is perfect for this.

Yes, non-shedding... after 12 years of vacuuming living rooms, cars, and tents of german shepherd hair, I wanted to go with non-shedding this time.

this bread is so easy to make that people are making it more complicated than it needs to be. Just do it! Corn meal on the top of the bread the last 2 hours it rises is important. That is the side that will be in the pot. Have enough corn meal on it so it won't stick to pot.

I found that cornmeal tends to burn faster than wheat bran, and I like the crunch of the latter better, actually.

Tomorrow I'm making a loaf using a little bit of starter from the last one, and will try the smaller pan. It may end up being two loaves.

Click my name for my take on the bread or go here
http://www.myaimistrue.com/archives/2006/12/no_knead_bread.html

Looooove it!

Here's the email I sent my folks six days after returning from my visit with them in Fl (where their home is kept a pretty constant 75 degrees!), where my Dad shared the bread recipe with me, and we made two loaves while I was there. Note that I live in Chicago, where it has been frigid all week, and we keep our nite temperature at about 60 degrees!

Well, Mom and dad, it's official - I am now a bread baking junkie. I have my fifth loaf going in the oven in about an hour. So far:

Started Sun. nite: Regular recipe - fantastic!
Started Mon.: Regular recipe - very good, but it got a little too cold during the rising overnite. A little dense.
Started Wed: Substituted 1/2 c instant oats for 1/2 cup flour - very good too, but a little dense, as it also got a little too cold overnight. Took 4 hours on the last rising it raise it from a small lump. Very tasty, but it could use a little more of the nutty oat flavor. Next time I'm going to use 3/4 c of oats.
Started Fri: Substituted 2 eggs/water and 1 c 1% milk for water. Delicious! (Plus beautiful with black poopy seeds sprinkled on top!) Texture is a little more tender than the original version. But it could have been even eggier, so for this last one...
Started Sat.: Substituted 2 eggs plus one more egg yolk, plus 1 c 1% milk plus little water. The dough looks lovely and yellow. Can't wait to try it tonight! (Or actually, this afternoon - can't help having a couple pieces right when it comes out of the oven!)

So, it looks like this is in fact a very robust technique, not just a single recipe (now that I have the heat issue worked out. I need to keep it on top of the oven all night, which is set to a constant 170 degrees.) And by the way, I've made ALL these loaves with that packet of yeast you gave me . I haven't even bothered to refrigerate it, either. (And all but the last loaf were made with regular flour. I finally bought some bread flour yesterday. Also some whole wheat for the next round of experiments.)

Obviously, that should be "poppy seeds" on the bread, not "poopy seeds". That would be kind of unappetizing...

By the way, I've been very generous with the flour and corn meal for the last rising, and have not had a sticking problem. Sometimes you see the white flour in the final product, but it doesn't affect the taste. Also, I've used a clean T-shirt for the final rising, not a tea towel. They have just the right smooth texture. I've also been baking in my Le Creuset pot, absolutely no sticking. (I LOVE that pot! I've used it almost every day for the last two years.) 30 minutes covered, just 15 minutes uncovered has been perfect. 30 minutes uncovered would be too long.

Hey, thanks, Margaret. Oats also sounds like a good addition. The eggs and milk, too.

King Arthur bread flour was on sale today, so I got a couple more bags, plus some organic raisins and will try raisin-cinnamon bread. Any suggestions on the best way to sweeten? (I'm not averse to processed sugar, if that's what it takes.)

Keep up the banter, Ian. It's about the bread!

I used natural starter for the first many (20?) loaves. The crust was fantastic but the loaves were not very tall--and there were a lot of holes. I have since tried it with yeast (not fast rising) and the loaves look like...bread. The crust is not as flavorful but it is brilliant for sandwiches. Bit of a challenge slicing it at the dinner table--do you go for the long slices or do you start cutting corners but then have asymmetrical slices?

Le Creuset pots are wonderful except mine now looks as though it has been through WW2.

I made the bread this weekend following Mark Bittman's insructions but increasing the salt to a scant 1 Tbs. Unfortunately, I mis-read the water amount and added 1 and 7/8 cups instead of 1 and 5/8 cups. Oh no! Realizing this, I added a bit more flour and held my breath and waited the full 18 hours for the first rise. Not to worry, this loaf was everything it was supposed to be and more. Great flavor, crust and crumb. I did bake it in a Staub cast iron pot of about four quarts which made a nice, high loaf.

Hooray! Yes, I'm thinking a 4-quart pot is better. I'm going to look in the thrift stores this weekend. (They always have lots of old cast iron.) There's a chain of discount stores called Tuesday Morning that also sometimes has Le Creuset on deep discount.

The Tuesday Morning here has Le Creuset on sale at a fair price but if you are anywhere near a Le Creuset discount store you can get a better one, particularly on "old" colors.
They have seconds with slight flaws which do not affect the outcome of your food at all. Also, you can find sale Le Creuset on the web but the shipping charges may be harsh.

If you use cast iron, remember to season it.

Haha, Kitt :) I've been busy doing other things - been putting together solid oak bookshelves along with a very long 12 hour road trip.

I tried cinammon and raisins - don't worry about sweetening it - the raisins provided sweetness.

However... I don't know the "correct" way, if there is one, to make raisin bread of any sort. I just threw in a bunch of raisins and then a tablespoon of cinammon... There were raisins everywhere - and the dough did not rise much at all. Do you add raisins AFTER the dough has risen?? Hehe..

I went ahead and baked it.. my little four year old LOVED it. He's asked me to bake more.

I did the same: cup of raisins, big dash of cimmamon, couple tablespoons of sugar. I cooked it in two loaves, one in that terrine, and they turned out nicely, though I think I could have cooked them longer. (I was trying to compensate for the smaller pan with a shorter cook time.)

Photo here: http://kittbo.blogspot.com/

Oak bookcases? Nice. You can never have too much shelf space. (At least, I can't.)

Rebecca, thanks for reminding me of the Le Creuset outlets. There's one near where I'm skiing Friday, so I'll duck in there and see what they have.

Er, Roberta, I mean! Sorry.

Ian, I added the raisins at the beginning and the rise went OK. It was about 22 hours, though.

Made Bittman's bread several times; always excellent, though the final bread seems a little moist -- even when I bake it to an internal temperature of 205-210 degrees. Anyone have any advice on this? I bake it at about 460 degrees for 45 minutes or so.

Thanks for the picture, Kitt. My experiment with cinammon and raisins turned out much different - perhaps too much cinammon - but the loaf was very dark - but it was good!

Also, I had raisins sticking out of everywhere! They were falling out the bottom after I dumped the dough into the bakeware I used.

I'll give it another try though - the wee fellow is asking for "MORE!!"

Yes.. these oak bookshelves are keeping me back from doing any cooking/baking. I've got a major hankering for Irish soda farls done on the griddle... but am sanding 8 foot tall oak timbers and shelf boards.

I'll post pics when I'm done. The book cases can't be eaten.. but starting to look real nice after a few hand rubbed coats of Danish Oil.

Joel, have you tried using a bit less water?

I've not had any problems with too moist a bread.

Yes, maybe try for a bit less water. The printed recipe calls for 1 5/8 cup, but according to the video (and experience) you're better off with 1 1/2 cups. And you're uncovering it at the end, right?

Strange about your raisins, Ian. Mine seemed fairly well distributed throughout, though they seemed to like being closer to the crust than the center. I used less than a cup's worth, though. And added a little extra water, figuring they would soak up a fair amount.

"Yes, maybe try for a bit less water. The printed recipe calls for 1 5/8 cup, but according to the video (and experience) you're better off with 1 1/2 cups. And you're uncovering it at the end, right?"

In other words, experiment Joel! Some say 1 1/2 cups of water.. I find a splash more than that is perfect. Probably due to drier conditions, and less humidity?

For the price of this, and the ease of making it.. yeah.. experiment!

"Strange about your raisins, Ian. Mine seemed fairly well distributed throughout, though they seemed to like being closer to the crust than the center. I used less than a cup's worth, though. And added a little extra water, figuring they would soak up a fair amount."

As soon as these shelves get done... I'll try raisin/cinammon with more water :)

In the meantime, I've got a couple of "regular" loaves here that are just calling my name and are asking me to eat.

OK- has anyone tried doing this bread by rising it
the 2nd time in the pan you will cook it in? Mine always collapses so much after the second rise that I'm thinking of doing the 2nd rise right in the cooking pan. Why does the pan have to be so hot when the bread goes into the oven- as long as the oven is hot?

Hmm. Haven't tried that, but my understanding was that the hot pan is key. But hey, what have got to lose? At worst, you toss the result and you've learned something.

My second rise is always more horizontal than vertical, for what it's worth. Since the dough's just sitting there on a flat surface. You could try rising it in second pot or bowl while the cooking container heats.

According to the first Bittman article in NY Times, the hot pot is critical to the rise and the chewy crust. This is why the bread dough is so wet, the wet dough forms steam which makes the good crust. The hot pot eliminates all the fussy things we used to do to get a good crust such as spraying with water, etc. If you do not use a hot pot I imagine your result will be soggy.

As to the vertical second rise, it is possible that the bread has risen too long. According to James Beard ("Beard on Bread"), this is what happens when the second rise goes on too long.

"My second rise is always more horizontal than vertical, for what it's worth."

Same here.

I'd love to try making this bread but I live in a mountain village of Greece and I can only get cake/compressed yeast here. Can anyone tell me how much of this yeast I should use in the recipe? It would be helpful if it could be in grams but I'll make do with tsp, measures too. I did a bit of research and came up with the figure of 1.8 grams or 3/8 tsp. Anyone know if I got it right? It seems so little.... Thanks.

Mark Bittman wrote another NYTimes article about fine-tuning this recipe. In it he said you could use whatever yeast you liked. 1/4 tsp. yeast translates into 1.25 ml, but by weight it is 1 gram. Also, the flour turns out to be 430 grams, the water is 345 grams and the salt 8 grams. He says that active dry yeast can be used without proofing so I guess it would be a good idea to proof caked yeast. He also increases the salt content to a scant 1 T. I have tried this and agree that it makes a tastier loaf.

Regarding my previous comment on the second rise: I think I was wrong about that as a second rise is usually done in the container it is baked in and has some supporting structure. I wouldn't worry much about a vertical rise as the dough is wet anyway and is almost poured into the hot pot where, due to the heat and the steam, it rises very quickly.

Hey Roberta, thanks for the info. I'll try to find the article you mentioned but even without it I can now give it a try. Let's see what happens! It'll be an adventure between the local flour and some whole wheat flour that I bought from a biological foodstore. Would be nice to be able to bake decent bread easily at home, the nearest baker is 7km away...

This recipe couldn't be easier. I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but after the first bite, I became a believer. I followed the recipe for the most part, although I only used 1 1/2 cups of water as others had suggested. All of the comments about texture and flavor with this bread are true. The interior is soft and chewy, but the exterior has a lovely crust that makes it taste just like bread you'd pay $5.00 for in a grocery store or bakery. Also, I used 1 1/4 tsp salt and found that to be plenty for my taste. It had a subtle but well developed flavor that goes perfectly with a little butter.

Do report on your results, Vida!

I've got another blue cheese batch brewing. The last one, done in the terrine, turned out so nicely that I'm going to stick with that concept for a while. The square slices make for great little sandwiches.

Kitt,

Please tell us more about your blue cheese bread, it sounds wonderful. How much cheese do you use and do you add it to the initial dough or to the second rise?

Still haven't tried the rise-in-the-same-pan, but I definitely will sometime! What I still don't understand about the 3 times I've made this, and everyone's comments, is the mushiness of the dough. I understand it needs to be watery, but if you look at the original video, Lahey pick up the dough and actually throws/tosses it in the oven-pan- mine would never stay together- and in the Times article, the picture of his bread folded on itself is like a little brick- not watery at all.....so why do we all have such mushy dough ? :)

Nan, Lahey uses less water than the written recipe calls for: 1 1/2 cups vs. 1 5/8 cups, so that's what I've been using. I find that with well-floured hands and a light dusting on the dough, I can fold it OK. So maybe try it again with less water.

Roberta, I added about a tablespoon of blue cheese dip/dressing mix from Savory Spice Shop in Denver, in addition to the scant 2 teaspoons of regular salt, to the dry ingredients:

http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/blends/bluche.html

Plus that sesame sprinkle on top with a little coarse sea salt right before it goes in the pot.

I made this with my son yesterday (and this morning). It looked, at first, like we had put in not quite enough water - the dough held together well, but didn't seems as sticky as it looked on the video - so I added 1/8 c of water. The proportions were probably exactly to the Times's recipe (3c fl to 1 5/8 c water) AND I later discovered I had used active yeast. Oh well.... After 18 hours the dough looked like pancake batter held together in a ziploc bag.! There was no way I could fold it over on itself- but I dumped it on a tea towel, smushed it together a bit- then added olives, as I let it proof for another 2 hours. I used a nice copper Dutch oven I love, heated it to 500, cooked 30 minutes, then 10 more without the lid. It was (almost) perfect!! A few burned spots on the bottom - I think I might try 475 time, or just 10 minutes less total cooking. But the taste and texture were as good as any bread I've eaten! It reminds me of some of the really rustic breads I've had in Rome- a hard, crunchy - not crackery- crust, and a chewy, not moist, interior. I added a bit more salt than the Times recipe, and the olives are GREAT. Once you get over freaking out about the loose batter of a dough, this is a snap and really good. I'm sure I'll make it once a week.

Hey Bard, glad it worked out for you!

One hint I learned about keeping the bottom from burning: Put a cookie sheet under the pot for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Bard, Brad ... d'oh.

Ok... with regard to the second rise, I'm now using a different method, and am finding I am getting more height to my loaves this way.

Where the original recipe calls for allowing the second rise on well floured parchment or wax paper, I'm putting the dough into a medium size bowl for the second rise.

This seems to give more height instead of the extra width of "rising."

It also saves the mess of all that flour on the paper!

But what I did do was lightly grease the mixing bowl and then floured that surface beefore putting the dough into it for it's second rise.

When putting into the pot, it slid out quite easily from the bowl to the pot. Much easier than trying to scrape dough from wax paper that wasn't completely covered with flour.

So you're shaping it before the final rise? I've just patted it into a circle a little, let it rise two hours, then done the "letter folding" thing before putting it in the pot.

I threw out the last loaf. I put in too many kalamata olives of questionable provenance, and the thing turned out like focaccia, but oily and dense. Ick.

Will try the pot thing next time. I want to get a smaller pot to cook in ... something between the small terrine and the jumbo dutch oven.

Happy holidays!

Finally, finally, I made the famous no-knead bread from the NY Times article.

Call me cheap, but I was not driven to spend a lot of cash on Le Creuset or Emile Henri, Batali's pots and the like...even Lodge seemed excessive.

Lo and behold, I found a cast iron pot of appropriate size at Winners (Canadian version of Marshalls) for a grand total of $24.99 and then went home to start ignition sequence of what was touted as the best bread ever.

Like you, I failed to read the recipe properly and used the wrong yeast and was so PO'd with myself that I ran out to buy instant yeast and started again.

I did manage to use my first attempt by treating it as a starter and making bread the way I usually do.

As to the main event, all went well; by the book so to speak but I have to admit that I did not use all white flour and instead used 2 1/2 cups of unbleached white and 1/2 cup whole wheat just because I find it very difficult to follow any recipe down to the letter.

In the end, I was very impressed with the final product though the lovely crunchy crust did not last and got a bit soft by the time it was done cooling.

Perhaps I did not bake it enough or my oven was not hot enough. I suspect both were issues though the bread was certainly cooked through properly.

Now I am wondering what I did wrong since everyone seems to remark on the crust.

For me, it was still delicious and the fact that the crust lost it's crunch not the the of the world since it was thin anyway.

Maybe the fact that I used slightly different proportions made the difference but I would definitely do it the same way again and check that my oven was indeed 450F and that I baked it a bit more than I thought I should.

I don't think this will depose my current bread making habits, but rather be another method in my bag of tricks.

Currently I am into making fougasse and this dough would never work.

I do think that the hype is warranted and I am glad that I did not go out and spend a fortune on a pot.

regards,

tamar g.

Interesting comment about the crust- the same happened to me- the bread was great- but by the time it cooled the crust had lost it's crunch. I doubt it was the flour; maybe the amount of time cooking without the lid on?
My first loaf was crunchy but very gooey before baking. I had used 1/3 rye flour which seems thinner (less glutenous?)but when I switched to part wheat and part white flour it was great and the dough was stayed together very well even allowing me to do the folding etc that i hadn't been able to do before.
Like the idea of rising in a taller pan, Ian. I'll have to try that.
nan

I just did another loaf and documented the whole thing with photos. I'm using a jury-rigged pot now, since I wanted a taller rise. And I tried doing the second rise in a container, too. I think it turned out pretty well:

http://kittbo.blogspot.com/2006/12/no-knead-bread-step-by-step.html

I need to go thrift-shopping for just the right pot!

Happy New Year, everybody.

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one more: i made this bread yesterday/today (it rose overnight). slight oddities: it seemed colder in the house, so i let it rise for more like 20-21 hours (also, i overslept). my dough, when initially stirred together, seemed overly *dry* rather than wet; i've heard some other people say this. i used regular powdered yeast, not rapid-rise, and king arthur bread flour. it didn't seem to rise much, and for the last two hour rise (which i lengthened to 90 minutes) i left the dough ball on the kitchen counter near the warm oven with an open door. plunked it in a le crueset dutch oven of unknown size (just tried to measure it by filling with water--four and 3/4 quarts fits in there; that doesn't seem like a regulation size, but whatever) and baked for 30 minutes top on, 30 minutes top off.

mine looks like it has bigger holes than some other folks', and the crust is very very crunchy but not really thin--on the bottom, in particular, it's almost problematically thick--hard to cut, sometimes a little too chewy. overall, though, easiest good bread i've ever made. i'm curious about how to make this resemble my favorite Essential Baking Co. bread from seattle, the one filled with minced rosemary and topped with kosher salt. i guess i'll just sub some whole-wheat for the reg. flour and throw in some herbs and salt the top . . .

Feeling not totally satisfied with my first attempt, I began another loaf before the former was consumed by my always-enthusiastic panel of judges, namely my son and daughter, who loved what they called the toasty crust...though as I mentioned earlier, it was not at all crackly or crunchy.

For my second loaf, I used 1 cup of unbleached, 1 cup of whole wheat and 1 cup of dark rye. It needed a touch more than the 1 1/2 cups of water suggested and I ended up using an additional 1/4 cup or so.

This was not surprising as the rye flour is a totally different element to work with in any bread recipe and often makes doughs feel like cement due to a total lack of gluten (I think).

I ended up leaving for 20 hours because I didn't get home in time for the 18 hour deadline but I think it was a good thing because the dough seemed far more bubbly than my first attempt.

Also, I was not all that keen on the bran for keeping the dough from sticking to the cloth and opted for flour instead.

After reading that Lahey suggested 500F rather than 450F, I also gave that a try in the hopes of a better crust, but when the final stage of baking was over, I was not happy with the softness of both crust and interior...yikes! So throwing caution to the wind, I slid the loaf onto my bread stone and gave it another 15 minutes et viola: it looked gorgeous.

By the time it was after midnight and I left it out overnight and much to my delight, the crust was still hard and crunchy.

The loaf itself was reminiscent of breads I have sampled in Europe and it was devoured before 11 AM.

At this writing, I am pondering my next iteration, though I am leaning towards something with semolina.

Happy New Year to All!

i'm from manila in all its tropical weather glory. room temp in our kitchen would be something like upwards of 86 deg fahrenheit, which is off the 70 in the recipe. won't the dough go bad if it's warmer and i wait it out the entire time required? or should i just cut short the dough rest time? but by how much? any helped would be much appreciated.

I am from Waterloo, Iowa and I am in the catering bussiness since 20 years ago. The recipe of Mr. Bittmans No knead Bread is fantastic, since I do not have the cast iron pot or the enamel pot I went to Wal Mart and I bought 2 for the price of one of Heavy Disposable Aluminun Foil containers they are
7 1/2' by 3' by 10' and cost me only $1.96 and the bread comes incredible, I folow the directions to heat the molds at 475* for 30 minutes and then I put the dough. It works.
Martha
Creative Catering

For those looking for the right pot, I located a COPCO dutch oven at a resale shop. Designed by Micheal Lax. Enamel cast iron, very heavy tight fitting lid, and no knob to worry about in a 500 degree oven. They seem to be available often on Ebay as well. Should be able to get one used for $25 plus shipping.

http://i16.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/80/eb/9d1a_2.JPG

Thanks to all for the recommendations - I'm cutting the water to 1 1/2 cups next time. Otherwise, fantastic results. Best bread I've ever made.

I have made the bread twice with great results. I bought Martha Stewart's enamelled cast iron dutch oven w/lid at Kmart--perfect. I also used Release nonstick foil rather than the dish towel for the two hour rise. The dough slides right off the foil into the pot clean as a whistle.

Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery will be on the Martha show today making the no-knead bread. You might want to check it out!

Hi Kitt,

Just checked back on this page today and discovered that you'd asked for a report. Well I've done the bread four times since, with varying results. In the end I found active dry yeast and used 1/3 tsp. of that without proofing. To cut a long story short I've found that the following has worked best so far: 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 2 cups AP flour, 1 and 5/8 cups of water (probably because of the use of whole wheat flour) , 1.25 tsp of salt. The extra salt and the whole wheat flour makes for a tastier loaf. I let it rise in a heated room (overnight it cools down, but no problem). Twice I tried it in the oven with the pilot light on and found that by 15 hours it had turned way too watery (too warm?), impossible to fold, final loaf was pretty flat. I'm pretty sure at least once it wasn't due to excessive water as by then I'd gotten the hang of the texture of the dough when just mixed.

First three times loaf was very crunchy with varying degrees of height and taste. Last time loaf was great (for my taste) with the quantities described above. Only one srange thing happened. I used the same oven temp. for baking with the lid on. But I found that the loaf browned much faster when the lid came off. After about 15 mins it HAD to come out. The result? A very slightly less crunchy crust. The crunchiest golden crust I got from 20-25 mins wih the lid off. So maybe I'll have to lower the temp. slightly for browning with the lid off to be able to let in stay longer in. I use an oval shaped teflon lined aluminium dutch oven, quite heavy with thickish sides, top and a heavy bottom. Seems to work well.

Last note: I served the last loaf to friends during lunch and they immediately fastened onto it and asked, "where did you buy THIS?" They're Greek and couldn't believe it when I told them I'd baked it with little fuss! This recipe is a real boon to those who have difficulty geting access to counry style bread (I live a tiny mountain village in Greece, bread in this region is very different: soft crust, dense crumb, not my taste). By the way I used 4 day leftovers to make pappa al pommodoro and it was the tastiest I'd ever made. All in all, a fantastic experience. Think I'll stop here to go whip up a batch...

Just noiced that some people are folding the dough in thirds AFTER the 2nd rise, just before putting it in the oven. Is this right? Is there any difference? I've been following the recipe and folding it before the second rise. I also use a floured tea towel (no problem when the dough is the right consistency and foldable).

Anyone know when the dough should be folded, for better or for worse?

Now I'm REALLY going to mix a batch for tomorrow!

The folding is after the dough's first rise. The dough is taken out of the bowl, folded, allowed to rest for 15 minutes, and formed into a ball. I stretch the dough into a ball to give surface tension to the dough. I use a cloth lined bowl for the last rise. I have been giving the pre-heated pot a squirt of water just when I put the dough ball-seam side up- into my cast iron dutch oven. I also use a table spoon of soy flower, a tablespoon of dry milk powder, and a teaspoon of wheat germ for each cup of KA bread flour. This requires a bit more water. I use a 500 degree oven for the 30 min covered bake and drop down to 475-450 for another 15 min with the cover off.

Does the 11/2 cups of water have to be warm?

Please let me know. thank you. HR.

I have so far had only success with this recipe. I made it first time with small pyrex salad bowl covered with thin metal lid. Although I made mistake of cooling pyrex under cold water afterwards (shattered) the bread was great. Second time I used a large covered metal turkey roaster to make two loaves. This also went well. Only other mod is I use active dry yeast, oat bran and flour mix to cover dough before last raising and before putting it into the oven, and more salt. Also if kitchen is cold I leave it for longer time to raise.

Thanks for reporting back, Vida! Sounds like you've had great success, and it must mean a lot to be able to make such bread when you can't find anything similar in the store.

It was never clear to me when to fold the dough. I've been doing it after the second rise. I'll have to try it again with a fold after the first.

Great comments, y'all. I have made about 20 loaves of the bread so far, and currently I am doing three things a bit differently, to get a loaf to my taste.
1) I replace 1 c of (bread) flour with 1 c of Bob's Red Mill semolina flour ("for pasta"). Gives the dough a nice yellow color and a slight nuttiness.
2) I do the second rise in a round woven basket lined with a flowered towel. (I just keep using the same towel, and not washing it, based on the advice of a friend of mine who is a professionally trained cook.) Air can pass through the basket and towel, so I no longer have any "stick to the towel" problems. It also helps push the loaf a bit into a more vertical shape, although I have yet to find just the right baking pot to maintain that shape.
3) I put a handful of sesame seeds on the towel, which wind up on the top of the loaf after flipping it into the baking pot. This is sort of traditional for semolina loaves, so why not?

Made my first loaf yesterday. Although I prefer whole grain, for the first attempt I decided to use the standard recipe and substituted ground flax seed for the cornmeal. Used my Pampered Chef 9 x 13 pan and covered with aluminum foil (leaving room for expansion). 30 minutes with foil, then 15 minutes uncovered. By far the best loaf I've ever made. It was amazing! Looking forward to trying the whole wheat and rye loaves.

For those who have not seen the Bittman video, you can find it at www.youtube.com. Click Videos and then search for Making No-Knead Bread.

I just bought a Lodge 5 quart cast iron Dutch oven from an outlet store for $29.99. Looks like it will work well. I do't want to use my expensive 7 quart le cruset.

Hi Folks
I'm on my 20th loaf and ever one of them were perfect. I up the temerature when I take the top of the pan to 475 degrees for 20 mins. leaves a great crust. I have been making double loafs with great sucess.

I am in Okinawa where it is cool now but I have been making this recipe since fall when it was still warm and humid. I have had consistently great results, using an old ceramic-coated steel dutch oven in my tiny convection oven! Temperature doesnt seem to matter much - I do 30 mins covered and 15 uncovered. I want to contribute what I think is, surprisingly, a new idea: I had only 2 criticisms of the final product - a) the crust is a little too tough to slice easily, and b) the loaf gets stale quickly. I just tried adding 2 Tbs of olive oil to correct the second problem, and I found it also changes the texture of the loaf and the crust, very favorably in my opinion. They are lighter and more delicate, yes, even better than before! (I use 2-1/2 cups white and 1/2 cup rye flour, and 1-3/4 tsp salt). BTW, on the issue of how much water is best, why not just add water slowly while mixing?? Stop when the dough gets workable and before it gets sloppy.

Fellow Bakers:

I've made the bread about 5 times. The first couple of times I followed directions and used my 7.25 qt LeCreuset (LeCreuset #L2501-28); the bread was delicious and the crust perfect, but the bread was quite low. Based on the overall volume of the bread and its height I decided I would try my 3.5 qt LeCreuset (LeCreuset #L2501-22) since it clearly wasn't taking up much space in the larger pot and, as I had hoped, the bread came out perfectly and also a little higher. Final decision - the 6-8 qt size quoted in the original recipe is not necessary. As I see from the above posts, a lot of people have also obtained great results without having to get a bank loan to purchase LeCreuset (I've actually had mine for many years and was shocked to see how expensive they are now) and using smaller pots.

Sort of funny story: If any of you have been in a Bed, Bath & Beyond recently (I live in Manhattan), or similar stores, have you by any chance noticed that there are no handles on any of the LeCreuset tops on display? I think the recent spate of bread baking has led to many destroyed handles and people have been absconding with the handles they find on display... I actually had one explode in the oven when I had upped the temperature from 450 to 475 (I had forgotten to wrap it in foil first). Fortunately, I had a substitute handle I could use from a regular pot or I don't know what I would have done...

The last time I made the bread I used 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1-1/2 cups whole wheat. A very good combination. And I always use corn meal rather than flour when taking the dough out of the bowl and when putting the dough to rise in a towel. I'll probably try rising it in a bowl next time, but so far I haven't had any problem with the towel method. I'm not a baker so for me the fact that the dough doesn't really seem to rise in the towel is more a matter of expectations than anything else and it doesn't worry me any more because the bread has come out fine each time.

I have a question: Does anyone know of anything relatively pedestrian - and non-dairy - which one can add to the dough to give it a bit of a sourdough flavor?

Thank you!

Jay

Jay - The easiest way of getting some sourdough flavor is to forget you started it rising, suddenly remember after an additional day has passed, and then let your friends praise the wonderful sourdough flavor. No kidding - it works.

Disturbing, isn`t it, that wealthy New Yorkers would vandalize a store like that?

Steve -

Thanks for the tip - I'll try it. Are you actually suggesting adding another 24 hours to the initial rise (approx 40 hours!)? Is that how long your dough sat, or was it for less than that?

While the thievery is wrong in any event (and remember - I was just guessing as I don't remember ever before having seen all the handles missing from LeCreuset pots), hardly all New Yorkers are wealthy! And the cost of living being as high as it is, many New Yorkers who would be considered well-off in other parts of the country aren't quite so well-off here...

What WOULD be interesting would be to contact LeCreuset and ask them if they had a sudden increase in pot handle requests since the story first appeared in the NYT...

Jay

Could it be that the store removed the handles itself to prevent the pots from walking out the door?

Smuggling a LeCreuset out of a store would be an interesting feat... but it could definitely have been an attempt by the store to prevent the handles from being taken!

Just struck me as funny at the time to see all those handle-less pots; didn't mean to get serious...

Jay

Jay -- thanks for the comments about BB&B and the plastic knobs. I checked into this and just posted an update.

I tried the no kneed thing a week or two back and was really happy with the result. I will try it again. Next time I am thinking of adding just a little sugar to get the yeast going because the rise was simply slow! Also I do want to try baking in a regular loaf tin and baking bread rolls too. The result is at take3eggs.com.

Jay - to answer the rising time question, I don't think I actually let it sit for 40 hours but as anyone who makes sourdough starter knows, the longer the microorganisms have to work on the carbs, the more sour it tastes.

But I've been doing more tests with added olive oil and now use it all the time because of the improvement in the crust and texture, and especially because the bread keeps MUCH better and doesn't develop a stale taste. There's a social factor involved here as well as the cookery: after the first dozen or so loaves my family no longer devoured it as soon as it came out of the oven. So now the loaf sits covered by a cloth napkin (I hate to refrigerate bread) until the last slice (careful!) is eaten, and stays fresh tasting and fairly soft for several days, whereas without the oil I usually had to toss it after 3 days. Two tablespoons oil per loaf does the trick.

I found this recipe for making no-knead sourdough using a starter:

http://corduroyorange.com/?p=149#more-149

It's in the comments section. It's basically the same recipe, only you substuute 1/6 cup of starter for the instant yeast.

Never tried it myself as I haven't starter so I can't vouch for it but the worse thing you can do is try!

oops - substitute

How to fix Le Creuset melted knob syndrome without having to rder one for $7.95...Go to your hardware store and buy a nut and bolt and washer(the round thingy with a hole,looks like flat doughnut) and replace plastic knob with this! Insert bolt thru washer on top thru hole in lid-flip lid and add washer around bolt,screw on nut...voila cheap perfection!

Treeverte

I keep my house at 62 degrees. I turn the oven light on in my oven and get a 80 degree room
for cheap. No drafts either.

Help.

I am on my third try with this bread. I am using 1 5/8 cup water, but the dough is not "shaggy" and is quite dry. The bread comes out a bit gummy. My third try is rising right now. I increased the water a bit in order to allow mixing, but I think that will just add to the gumminess.

Thanks

Sher

I used 10grams of compressed bakers yeast (live yeast) the first stage took 5 hours and the second stage one hour. I have made it twice both times a success. Thanks for the recipe Mr Lahey.

I have made the bread many times now and have found the best method yet. I had a clay Romertopf pot gathering dust and decided to try it, inserting a cheap metal loaf pan. If I didn't already have the Romertopf this alone justifies having one. The beauty of the clay pot is you start with a cold oven, and soak it 15 minutes in cold water in the sink. This gives the bread a lot of moisture while baking. I spray the loaf pan with oil for easy release after baking. Crust is fantastic, the loaf form allows for sandwich slices.

I have made the bread many times now and have found the best method yet. I had a clay Romertopf pot gathering dust and decided to try it with the no knead recipe, inserting a metal loaf pan in the pot. If I didn't already have the Romertopf bread baking alone justifies having one. The beauty of the clay pot is you start with a cold oven, and soak it 15 minutes in cold water in the sink. When the pot goes in the oven, you crank it up to maximum heat. The bread has a lot of moisture surrounding it while baking. (I spray the loaf pan with oil for easy release after baking.) Crust is fantastic, the loaf form allows for sandwich slices.

For Sher,

I've baked this bread three times, all successfully. First and second time using King Arthur white AP flour and the third, KA bread flour. The bread flour required a LOT more water than the AP. With 1-5/8 C water it looked like regular bread dough.

I've read and been told by bakers more experienced than me that water volumes in recipes are only a starting point as the brand of flour you use, local humidity, etc. etc. will effect the amount of liquid needed.

Add water until the dough looks like a thick pancake batter.

I used a large cast iron Dutch over for the first loaf and a 3-1/2 Qt. le Crueset (#22) for the subsequent loaves. The smaller pot made for a higher loaf that I prefer. Next time I plan to bring my Romertopf out of semi-retirement

The first loaf I made was perfection, but I've had only disasters since then. The second attempt, I tried a 20-hour rise and found an inch of water under a very soft dough. The third trial was almost the same, except the water was on top of the dough.

I called Fleischman Yeast seeking an answer. Her guess is the rising time was too long.

Today, I went back to 18 hour rise. No water this time, but a dough that was very thin. In desperation, I have added more flour and am waiting to see what happens, but do not have much hope. All ideas, suggestions, etc. will be much appreciated.

drangela, what kind of flour are you using, what yeast, how much water, and at what room temperature are you doing the rise?

I've done a 30-hour rise (whoops! forgot that dough was in the oven) and it turned out OK, so I'm guessing factors other than time are an issue here.

Kitt
<A HREF="http://www.kittalog.com">The Kittalog</A>

I’ve tried several variations of the Sullivan Street NYX recipe…although the texture can be great and the bite and crust is good, the flavor is not as fabulous as I envisioned. There are modifications I highly recommend…try sweetening the water ( if you are making a sweet loaf of bread) with sugar and anis, cloves (what ever herb you’d like) or stevia for those of you whom are vegan…I mix it up the types of flours…rye and oat seem to work well but are a little more dense…I’m most pleased with a whole wheat rye with fresh rosemary and extra yeast ( about twice as much). Before pouring to raise for 2 hours prior baking, I add Kalahari olives and nuts and add a few more to garnish the loaf after I through it in the Dutch Oven ( I use a simple enamel one). You can get very creative with this recipe; I’ve used cinnamon nutmeg, lavender, raisins, blueberries…what ever you fancy just be sure to add them prior to throwing the loaf in the oven: you can not allow certain types of ingredients to ferment in the bread…well you could at your own risk. Try liqueurs as well…go nuts experiment…

I just love making this bread. I make two loaves every week. I've been doing this since November 2006 when I first saw this recipe in the New Youk Times. I am wondering if anyone has the nutritional values for this bread. Thanks all. CAROL

The current issue of Cook's Illustrated has an "improved" version of this bread. Recipe worked like a charm for me both times I have tried it. Reading all these comments though, one thing that really amazed me is how many people that never tried the original recipe as written, but did many different things on the first try, and then wondered why it wasn't right. It's fine to experiment, but usually a good idea to start with what he says first, especially with something as novel as this recipe was when it first came out. I.e., if it doesn't say to proof the yeast, don't proof it. if it says 1/4 teaspoon, don't use 1/2. and so forth.

But give the version in Cooks Illustrated a try, it solves many of the problems people were having with this bread.

I'm making some right now for the first time! I made two batches and will bake one after a 12 hour rise and one after a 18 hour rise. Just in time for breakfast :)

Check out my take on the no-knead bread recipe at:
http://red-icculus.com/?p=21

I've now had nearly a year's experience making this bread, and I've undertaken a number of changes to improve the results.

1) First of all, I now bake this bread in a four quart cast iron Dutch oven with a heavy glass lid, and it's the perfect size. A lager pan encourages the bread to spread out and the resulting loaf is shorter, so the four quart pot makes a higher loaf.

2) I often substitute one (of the three cups required) cup of whole wheat flour, which makes for a better tasting loaf.

3) I was never happy with the small amount of salt the original recipe called for. So 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt brightens the bread's flavors, especially with the addition of whole wheat flour.

4) The current February issue of Cook's Illustrated has re-thought the recipe and after making the loaf, I must say it's a winner. The biggest issue is liquid. The Cook Illustrated tester felt there was too much liquid, and I agree. It makes for a too wet dough that is difficult to handle. They reduced the water and added small amount of dark lager and white vinegar to boost flavor. They suggested a short kneading of say 10-to 15 turns which also helps. Best of all, for the second rise, the dough is placed on a piece of parchment paper (sprayed lightly with vegetable spray) and allowed to rise in a 10-inch skillet. When it's ready to be put in the pre-heated Dutch oven, the edges of the parchment allow for an easy, less messy (no scatttering of cornmeal or extra flour) transfer. The resulting loaf is higher, rounder, with a crunchier crust and a loaf with good crumb.

Definitely work looking into.

I ended up with a much drier dough very much by accident (I must have lost count scooping flour) and ended up with a pretty great loaf of bread. Here's my account of it, with pictures:
http://cookingthehardway.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/i-really-did-bake-this-bread/

My dad has made no-knead bread for what must be close to 10 years now, and bakes it in normal, large loaf tins. His tips are to use as big a wholemeal/white ratio as possible and plenty of liquid - the dough he makes can be be poured into the tins.

For anyone interested, the highest temperature you can use crockpot inserts in the oven is 350 Degrees.

And, xiaosage, what do you put on SPAM??

I know I'm a bit late to the no-knead party, but I came across this entry trying to troubleshoot, so perhaps some of you could help. I made this bread today, and it turned out ok, but it didn't rise as much as I had hoped it would. I used the correct yeast and let it rise for about 18 hours.

The one issue I had was with the plastic wrap--I couldn't get mine to stick to the side of the bowl, so I ended up covering the bowl with tin foil instead. Could this account for a slightly flat loaf? Otherwise, I followed the instructions to a T. Can't figure out what gives.

Any ideas?